When Winston Graham first penned Poldark in 1945 few would have predicted how popular it would become more than 70 years later.

The Cornwall-based programme has made household names of its stars and put Charlestown on the map - being screened across the globe in countries including America, Australia and the Middle East.

Tours still bring coach loads of fans to other major filming areas like Botallack, Geevor, Porthgwarra and it is estimated that about 14% of all visitors to the county have been influenced by the mining-era adventures of Ross Poldark.

But now, approaching its fourth season, it could be argued that the Poldark phenomenon has calmed slightly, with shows like Ordeal By Innocence and Victoria lining up to steal the limelight.

However Cornwall tourism expert Malcolm Bell has claimed that an international market and a change in Poldark's airing schedule has seen the hype around the show hit its peak.

Mr Bell, chief executive of Visit Cornwall, said: "Poldark has had three main effects on Cornwall – the most important is that it has driven awareness of Cornwall in the overseas market.

The historic fishing port of Charlestown was transformed back into the 18th century as BBC cameras filmed the new second series of Poldark

"The show now has viewers in Canada, Italy and America and that is increasing both awareness and the number of visitors from these countries, which would not have happened otherwise. Doc Martin had a similar effect on America.

"The show has also reconnected Cornwall with lapsed and new visitors - Poldark acts as a sweet spot for viewers because of the beautiful scenery, storyline and the history of Cornwall as well, it brings them closer to the true history of mining.

Read More

"Finally, it drives people to come back quicker. It reinforces repeat visitors further – the people who might not have come back. So it works for international visitors, destination marketing and you can’t underestimate it making them come back."

Mr Bell said it was difficult to measure a difference in the numbers of visitors to Cornwall now and before the Poldark remake hit our screens starring Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson.

He added: "The overall visitor numbers that have been influenced by Poldark are difficult to measure because of weather changes. The main sites have seen a tremendous difference which is very important in terms of going down towards Botallack or Porthgwarra.

"Poldark influences around 14% of all visitors which is a significant number.

Poldark heads to Westminster in season four (Image: BBC)

"Charlestown is the big location but it is only one of many sites.

"There is a difference between Poldark fanatics and fans who are rekindling their interest and love of Cornwall. The vast majority aren’t about visiting Cornwall just because filming is going on but when it is on people are over the moon, especially if they can get near the man – or see him from a distance."

Read More

"It helps to explain to visitors as to why we have so many mines and the history of Cornwall.

"Poldark has now got to its peak – I don’t think the interest has dropped. When it changed last year from autumn to spring we were worried but the number of viewers actually went up.

"It helped us last year because it was better than ever in spring and we are hoping it will be the same this year."

Owner and creator of Tall Ships Creamery, Victoria Norris and her son Oliver

Owner and creator of Tall Ships Creamery, Victoria Norris, has been in Charlestown since the first series of Poldark and says the increase in visitors doesn't always positively impact her business.

Discussing what Poldark has done for Cornwall, Victoria's son Oliver said: "[It has] put it on the map in a lot of ways. A, as a filming location and B, as a tourism location because we get a lot of people from America and the Middle East coming over because obviously they’ve seen the show and they come down here now to have a view.

"A lot of people though, I’ve worked out, they come here but a lot of them don’t actually know that it’s actually filmed here. They say ‘oh Poldark’s filmed in Cornwall’ but I’d say at least 30% of them, when you actually tell people it’s filmed right there in the harbour, they don’t understand, they don’t know that that’s where it’s actually filmed."

Victoria added: "To be honest, when it’s actually being filmed down here it’s quite weird really because I don’t always see it brings trade to us. People seem to come down for the day, they set up camp wherever they are going to be and then they literally do not move, they are stuck in that position because they are worried they are going to miss Aidan Turner.

"I also notice that it’s very busy after the series has just started and the lead up to it and it seems like people are coming down because they are interested in it and then, once the series has finished, it pitters out again.

Read More

"We sell bits and pieces from Poldark like the mugs, magnets, keyrings and it did used to be really popular and that’s starting to pitter out now as well.

"When they filmed the first series from the new series it was great because we got to see the cast.

"The cast would sit here, Demelza would have a cream tea with us, Verity had a cream tea, Demelza took home a chocolate orange fudge, Aidan Turner would have our mint ice cream, which was lovely.

"We would be able to go down and watch and literally be really, really close to them but then obviously when it hit the screens and everybody seemed to really like it and they started filming the second series security came in."

She added: "It has brought more tourists to Charlestown but it’s not constant and some people are shocked because the way that they know it was filmed here is when they see Poldark mugs.

"It would be nice – I don’t know if the council would allow it – if they had a little plaque here to say it was filmed here."

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

Kevin Davy, operations manager at the Shipwreck Centre in Charlestown, said: "The Shipwreck Centre has been opening to the public here for the last 40 years and we have the largest collection of shipwreck artifacts in Europe. In fact we represent some 150 shipwrecks and at least 15,000 lives were lost as a result of those shipwrecks.

"With reference to Poldark and his effect here in Charlestown and certainly on our business, I would say it has a huge impact on our business, certainly when they are filming here in the harbour because that increases our foot traffic to the museum and to the shop and even when they are not filming here people come and visit Charlestown because it is one of the big, famous filming locations for Poldark.

"We sell a lot of Poldark merchandise in the shop and that always has been popular."

George Elworthy, managing director at the Lost Gardens of Heligan and Charlestown Shipwreck Museum, added: "Poldark has had a huge impact on Charlestown and on this whole area of Cornwall, Charlestown being a world heritage site.

Read More

"The filming of elements of Poldark here helped bring that history alive so the public are always curious about 'where have they created that vision?', 'where have they created that atmosphere?' and so we've seen a huge increase in visitors numbers to Charlestown itself, the harbour and then as a consequence to the shipwreck centre and museum.

"It has gone a long way to driving an increase in numbers for the whole area. You definitely get swells when they are filming or when the film is being shown on TV and that's very evident it sort of fuels the fever of all ages and internationally.

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

"We haven't really seen the full impact of an international impact yet. The series, I think, has been sold to America, so you know as that gets aired, the audience will actually grow and grow and grow. I think it has pre-sold Downton (Abbey) in America. So we feel it has got years to run and the impact will grow."

"We regularly get enquiries from guests staying with us about how far we are from the historic fishing port of Charlestown, featured in the programme, or whether the heartthrob Aidan Turner will be nearby.

"The show has a huge following with both locals and visitors wanting to see the top filming spots, illustrating our county’s rich history, sweeping coastlines and picturesque villages.

"The Poldark effect has definitely been positive for both us as a business and in terms of our guests’ visitor experience."